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Bakels Launches Low Sodium Cake Mixes

BAKELS has launched what it claims to be the first range of low sodium cake mixes.

We have has replaced sodium bicarbonate – a key ingredient in cake mixes – with potassium bicarbonate to guarantee that all cakes made using its mixes fall within the Food Standards Agency guidelines of 0.5g per 100g.

To the best of our knowledge we are the first company in the UK to offer this guarantee. Sodium bicarbonate is a key functional ingredient in cakes. Without it, the cakes will not rise and the permitted level of sodium is already very low.

Customer trials proved that the cakes look and taste every bit as good as they did when made with sodium bicarbonate. Customers will also be delighted to learn that the price will stay the same, even though Potassium Bicarbonate is a much more expensive ingredient. This is because we have has been able to offset the cost by reducing the amount of eggs in the recipe with an egg replacer.

We have initially launched four products in its low sodium range – Sponge Mix Complete, Chocolate Sponge Mix Complete, Muffin and Crème Cake Complete and Chocolate Muffin and Crème Cake Complete – but it plans to roll it out across the entire range.

Says Keith Houliston, sales director British Bakels: “Customers will be delighted that they can offer a low sodium product without any adverse effect on taste. Most cake products are either too high in sodium or are right on the maximum levels, primarily because these are so low in the first place.

“Coincidently the Government is keen for us to eat more potassium as increased consumption has been shown to reduce hypertension, the incidence of strokes and heart disease and our new mixes are in line with this advice.

“The price issue is also an important one. We are not increasing prices across the range. The only product which will be more expensive to purchase will be our Multimix Cake Base. However, this product has been formulated to allow a lower addition of egg, so that its cost in use will actually be lower.”